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Chapter 255: Taking a Step Forward
With Qiao Yan’s arrangement, Fu Shou had just been listening to Qiao Yan discuss the management of the Weishui River, instructing them on where to widen, where to narrow, where to build dams, and where to open tributaries for irrigation. Next thing she knew, she was sitting by the riverbank waiting for roasted fish.
As she twisted the water out of her clothes and changed into some easy-to-walk short boots, she looked at Qiao Yan setting up a large sunshade and thought –
“My lord, doesn’t this count as slacking off?”
But after being busy for a while, to be honest, Fu Shou was a bit hungry.
Besides, Qiao Yan’s roasted fish was on a whole other level compared to everyone else’s.
A couple of years back, Xu Rong had brought back some pepper from the Silk Road.
When he first returned with the first batch, since pepper was precious at the time and had medicinal value, Qiao Yan decided to hand it over to Hua Tuo for research purposes after weighing the options.
But honestly, even if Qiao Yan hadn’t made that choice, just her support for medical advancements in Leping, the promotion of pharmacology, and Five Animals Play in the Leping Monthly Report, as well as her emphasis on creating emergency medical texts would have compelled Hua Tuo to stay in Leping for good.
So, half of that pepper was returned to her, mixed in with the second batch sent back by Xu Rong.
Due to price reasons, the second batch wasn’t much, but it was enough for her to indulge occasionally and use the pepper as a seasoning for the fish.
Other spices like star anise, fennel, cinnamon, and sesame were in another small jar.
Scallions, ginger, and garlic were now common, needless to say.
If Qiao Yan had to say, the only disappointing thing was that chili’s birthplace was in Latin America, and it wasn’t likely to be available anytime soon.
But honestly, the spices she had were already pretty lavish.
For this time period, that is.
Fu Shou tried to shift her gaze from the fish covered in sesame oil to Qiao Yan, asking, “By the way, my lord, is it really okay to leave Chang’an at this time?”
Although she had been running around the Weishui River basin with Bi Lan lately, she had caught wind of the hot topics in Chang’an.
The people rushing in due to the liquor ban were hard to tell if they were trying to get the inside scoop from Qiao Yan, but it was pretty clear that Qiao Yan had no intention of returning to Chang’an anytime soon.
She even just informed her attendant to let the military camp in Guanzhong know that she would inspect the troops in two days, to prevent Bingzhou and Liangzhou’s troops from feeling “out of place” or slacking off after their recent victories.
Fu Shou thought that if she were in those people’s shoes heading to Chang’an, about nine out of ten would be totally confused.
But seeing Qiao Yan’s unfazed expression, and based on the admiration she’d had for her since eight years ago, she came to one conclusion –
This was probably the mental quality necessary for someone who could be a Grand Marshal.
Exactly.
Qiao Yan gestured for the attendant to flip the fish and replied to Fu Shou, “If I’m not in Chang’an, will they break the law and destroy the road marked with the characters for Chang’an?”
Fu Shou instinctively shook her head.
These folks were mostly just watching from the sidelines, no one would dare touch the laws laid down by the Chang’an court.
Qiao Yan then asked, “And if I’m not in Chang’an, will people think it’s dereliction of duty on my part as the Grand Marshal, disrespecting the Emperor’s high position?”
That certainly wouldn’t happen.
The court’s recruitment of talented individuals had already established a routine through Hongwen Hall.
There were already people to receive those who needed explanations about the liquor ban.
My lord leaving Chang’an was also to address water management for the people, and no one would dare criticize that.
In short, they had already been told that the inspection would be held on time by the end of May.
Seeing that Fu Shou still looked somewhat worried, Qiao Yan smiled and signaled an attendant to hand something over.
Fu Shou curiously took the item that was handed to her.
The fish wasn’t done yet, but the meat that had been simmering on the riverside was already cooked.
It was sliced pork belly, and from what Fu Shou saw, it had a strange sauce that was wrapped in a folded wheat pancake shaped like a lotus leaf.
Although the aroma of the roasted fish was still prevalent, upon taking a bite of the lotus leaf pancake with sauce and meat, Fu Shou’s eyes widened.
“My lord, this sauce…”
The combination of meat and sauce aroma intertwined, mixed with a delicate bean fragrance that, while simple in appearance, would win anyone over with its flavor.
“Want to know how it’s made?” Qiao Yan asked as she picked up another piece from the tray and signaled for the fish to be taken down.
With an eager look, Fu Shou awaited the answer, but Qiao Yan dropped a line that almost made her think she’d misheard, “Put tofu in raw mold to make fermented tofu.”
If Qiao Yan hadn’t quickly taken a bite herself, Fu Shou would have been floored by the image conjured in her mind.
She raised her eyes and caught Qiao Yan trying to hold back a laugh.
“My lord!”
“Alright, I wasn’t lying,” Qiao Yan replied, “It’s just that making wine requires brewing yeast, and tofu fermentation requires fermented bean curd yeast. Wine is made from fermented grains, so it’s not toxic; does that mean fermented bean curd is poisonous?”
Fu Shou couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something off about that comparison, but knowing there was someone like Hua Tuo under my lord’s command, she figured she wouldn’t be joking about food safety and relaxed a bit.
Plus, in this sensitive time of liquor bans, her sudden mention of brewing yeast made Fu Shou ponder further.
But right as she was thinking, the five-spice roasted fish was presented to her, alongside a cup of milk tea.
At this moment, Fu Shou had no extra thoughts about what the fermented bean curd really looked like.
As the spices appeared lavish, the visible pepper on the roasted fish made it a dish Fu Shou had never tasted before.
The shortage of seasoning and the dominant steaming and boiling cooking method made the vast majority of Han people’s palate relatively bland, but this bold-flavored roasted fish didn’t feel off-putting at all.
Just thinking about how this exquisite seasoning pepper had to be imported from abroad made Fu Shou unable to help but ask, “Why not just grow pepper directly in the Han? Wouldn’t that mean we could use it anytime?”
In Fu Shou’s view, pepper should be no different from sesame or maybe a bit more finicky.
Rather than importing, self-sufficiency seemed much better.
Then she heard Qiao Yan chuckle, “You don’t think pepper can be planted in spring and harvested in autumn, do you? It takes two to three years to bloom and bear fruit, and it needs to grow in extremely warm temperatures. Jiaozhou might be able to grow it, but here in Guanzhong? No way! Especially not in Liangzhou or Bingzhou.”
Fu Shou looked at the roasted fish in front of her, then glancing at the tray with the sauced meat and pancake, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh, “Looks like I still have a long way to go on this journey of knowledge.”
Turns out, she didn’t know nearly enough.
But hey, at least following my lord means she could eat… no, see plenty!
While Qiao Yan supervised waterworks, reviewed the military, and even enjoyed some unique delicacies, the situation on Yuan Shu’s side was changing too.
With Wen Chou dead, the half of Pei State that Liu Bei had occupied returned to his domain – great news for Yuan Shu.
While he was a bit displeased with Yuan Huan and Yan Xiang for contacting Sun Ce to attack without following his plans or informing him beforehand, he grinned at the thought of Yuan Shao’s sulky face upon getting the battle report.
Compared to losing face in front of little Sun Ce, and later having to send a batch of goods to Yang Province, seeing his old rival take a hit was far more satisfying.
For this, Yuan Shu even threw a victory feast for several heroes of the battle.
When he raised his cup to toast the crowd, he couldn’t help but think of the news coming from Chang’an.
According to how he received his title as the Yu Province Governor from the Chang’an court, he should probably comply when the liquor ban was formally announced, right?
But thinking about Yuan Shao sending troops to attack him, Yuan Shu calmly decided selective compliance was the way to go.
What did the arrangements in Guanzhong have to do with his Yu Province?
Out in the field, who said one had to comply with the emperor’s commands?
Having mentally prepared himself like this, Yuan Shu raised his cup to Zhou Yu saying, “This time, thanks to Gong Jin’s help against those treasonous court rebels. The young talent, Sun Bo Fu, advancing in Yang Province is admirable. It’s just regrettable I have no son like Bo Fu; otherwise, who would fear those petty men claiming the Yuan name!”
Zhou Yu: “……”
Thank goodness his mental fortitude was solid; otherwise, he might have lost composure at such words from Yuan Shu.
Yuan Huan nearly dropped his wine cup at the side.
Where’s the line in praising people, like this? Praising others, his youth…
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“With a son like that, I’d wipe the floor with Yuan Shao!”
That kid’s got guts, fights like a lion, and knows how to command troops—no wonder he’s got his father’s flair!
But seriously, how can anyone compliment anyone on anything—
Sun Ce is the governor of Yang Province, and Zhou Yu is his sworn brother and most trusted subordinate. So how in the world did he end up as Yuan Shu’s son…
Yuan Huan quickly tried to steer the conversation back to their recent victories. Yuan Shu completely oblivious to the hidden currents below, took the bait, and launched into a tirade about Ye City.
He claimed that Yuan Shao was bragging about Yan Liang and Wen Chou being his fierce generals, but one got killed by Dong Zhuo’s minion, and the other barely made it to Yu Province before biting the dust. Talk about a lackluster lineup with Gao Lan and Zhang He, too.
He heard that Yuan Shao has handed over most of his military authority to Ju Shou, that scholar, which shows he’s really got no one left to use.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shu was rambling on, while Yuan Huan just sat there, expressionless.
He was wrong!
He shouldn’t have tried to change the subject.
At that moment, Yuan Shu belittling Yan Liang and Wen Chou—wasn’t that saying Zhou Yu, who had slayed Wen Chou, is hardly anything special?
Couldn’t be more than a nobody they took down.
Now that I think about it, that’s not a jab at the enemy but a wound to the ally.
By the time this victory celebration finally wrapped up, and Yuan Shu was still mumbling “If only I had a son like that,” Yuan Huan finally found a moment to bow apologetically to Zhou Yu, saying, “Please, don’t take offense. My lord has always been like this… He often overlooks small details. Rest assured, everything promised to Yang Province will be delivered. Please join me, let’s sort this out.”
Zhou Yu maintained his usual composed demeanor with a hint of righteous authority, replying, “I imagine it’s because Yuan Gong bears responsibility for his kin, thus such fierce behavior. I won’t take it to heart. Besides, both Yang and Yu provinces respect the Son of Heaven in Chang’an, and should be helping each other out.”
He spoke in such a dignified manner, but as for what he really thought of Yuan Shu? Only he knew.
But either way, neither Zhou Yu returning to Yang Province from Pingyu nor the satisfied Yuan Shu after the victory anticipated that, in just half a month, a fierce army would come from the north from Chenliu, marching straight into Runan.
Led by Gao Shun, with Gao Gan recruiting temporary troops in Chenliu, the forces, under Ju Shou’s guidance, split into two.
Gao Gan made the first move towards the Yuan family estate in Runan.
Let’s not forget that Ru Yang, situated a hundred miles north of Pingyu, was the ancestral land of the Yuan clan in Runan.
Even if most of the primary branches had moved to Luoyang or were lost during Dong Zhuo’s chaos, and some went off to Ye City, the ancestral spirits and shrines were still there.
With Yuan Shao’s people still stationed in Pei State, Yuan Shu never supposed that divine soldiers would suddenly show up in Ru Yang, so he hadn’t stationed many guards there.
When he suddenly learned that Yuan Shao’s other group, under the pretext of “Yuan Shu lacks virtue, tarnishing the family name,” had emptied the shrines in Ru Yang and even “invited” the local Yuan relatives to leave, Yuan Shu exploded!
As Yan Xiang sensed something was off and tried to advise him, Yuan Shu had already gathered thousands of troops stationed in Pingyu and headed north to Ru Yang.
But before Yuan Shu could catch up to Gao Gan’s crew, or even reach Ru Yang, he was ambushed by an intercepting force.
This was a silent troop so solemn it made you question if they were all alive.
Yet when the tide of iron armor and shields broke through the marching ranks, the clashing of arms unleashed a symphony of metallic resonance, and this troop erupted like molten rock.
Yuan Shu assumed that Yuan Shao, desperate and resorting to robbing ancestral shrines, was just trying to prove his legitimacy.
But little did he know, this was a ploy to lure him out!
If he had kept even a shred of vigilance toward the situation in Ru Yang, and hadn’t chosen to pursue in the middle of the night, he wouldn’t have suffered such a crushing defeat.
He couldn’t even discern what that silent blade in the night was before being swept into chaos and defeat.
Thankfully, his subordinates fought desperately to shield him, managing to get him out of danger.
It wasn’t until he had sprinted for several miles that he finally lost his pursuers.
Yuan Shu turned back to look at that mountain pass, and saw flames rising in the distance.
The sounds of battle gradually faded into the night, until they became nearly inaudible.
But what became clearer was a phrase sung to him in that critical moment, mixed with the night wind whispering in his ear as he fled in panic.
“Yuan Gonglu, Lord Chenggong ordered me to tell you two things: these fierce bandits you see in the daylight not only can’t be seen by the sun, but can’t be seen at night either.”
“Last month’s defeat didn’t fall at your feet, it was actually due to that young tiger of Jiangdong!”
Yuan Shu gasped and suddenly fell from his horse.
When he came to, he heard something that made him grit his teeth in rage.
The Yuan clan members and ancestral tablets that had been “kidnapped” were returned unharmed; no one had genuinely snatched them away.
Ju Shou even left a letter for Yuan Shu.
The letter stated that they had not taken things or people because, contrary to what they claimed about Yuan Shu lacking virtue, it’s really because he not only lacks virtue but also talent, so Ru Nan would eventually fall back under control of the Ye City court, thus they wouldn’t disturb the ancestral spirits and the large-scale moving was unnecessary.
They just hoped Yuan Shu would learn a thing or two from their ancestor, Yuan Shao Gong (Yuan An).
What does it mean to learn from Yuan An?
When Yuan An was not in office, he lived in Luoyang. One winter, the Luoyang Magistrate visited him, needing a path cleared in the heavy snow to enter. When they got in, they found Yuan An shivering in the cold, without proper blankets or warm clothing. When asked why he didn’t seek help from relatives, Yuan An replied everyone was poor this time of year, and he didn’t want to disturb others.
Future generations used Yuan An’s struggle with snow to symbolize a virtuous scholar in poverty. And Yuan An was indeed the first of the four generations of three Dukes in the Yuan clan of Ru Nan.
The implication was clear: Yuan Shu should seek less external help in such disputes.
If he couldn’t even manage that, what confidence did he have to claim he was the true heir of the Yuan family in Runan?
Yuan Shu was fuming, nearly exploding, and when he saw the letter was signed off by Ju Shou—the very same person he had just ridiculed at the celebration—his temples throbbed.
But just as he was about to get out of bed, he realized something worse.
His leg hurt even more than his head.
That’s because he’d actually broken a leg when he fell from his horse.
Yuan Shu clutched his injured leg and lay back down.
Once the pain subsided, he turned to his son, Yuan Yao, and said, “You need to head to the capital and ask the Grand Marshal for a favor—bring back Hua the Divine Doctor.”
Even at this moment, Yuan Shu thought he needed the best care possible.
Breaking a leg could be serious business. What if he ended up with some lingering issues? Yuan Shao would never let him live it down!
As for being reminded to emulate the ancestor? Well, to Yuan Shu, that wasn’t a problem.
It’s about hiring a doctor, not calling for reinforcements!
If it were him in the snow, freezing to death, he’d be borrowing a coat!
When Yuan Yao reached Chang’an, there were only ten days left until the wine party began.
But five days prior, Qiao Yan had already returned to Chang’an.
And it was the night before her arrival that she stood before the newly paved concrete road.
The torch illuminated the words “Chang’an” on the ground, casting a play of light and shadow—as if they were floating right in front of her.
It was true that homemade concrete takes longer to cure than regular stuff, but by now it was solid enough to be tread on, just to make sure there were no problems before it officially opened for use in a few days.
But for some reason, as Qiao Yan looked at it all, she hesitated to step on it.
“Isn’t this your first time stepping on concrete?” Guo Jia joked from the side.
Thinking back to when she first arrived in Leping four years ago, this material was already in use.
It had been a few years by now.
She should be more than familiar with how this step would feel. But there was still an odd sense of caution.
Qiao Yan stared at the road ahead.
On both sides, sections of guardrails had been torn down, transforming it into a completely unbarred new road.
This unique material drew a stark line between the two existing roads, giving Chang’an a striking new charm.
She didn’t even glance at Guo Jia but gazed into the dimly lit emptiness ahead, responding, “Maybe it’s because this is a groundbreaking step.”
After saying that, she stepped forward.
She crossed the “Chang’an” she had written—
Taking the first step onto the concrete road.
